01-03-2017 CCMMeeting of the Elk River City Council
Held at the Elk River City Hall
Tuesday, January 3, 2017
Members Present: Mayor Dietz, Councilmembers Olsen, Ovall, Westgaard, and Wagner
Members Absent: None
Staff Present: City Administrator Calvin Portner and City Clerk Tina Allard
1. Call Meeting to Order
Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the meeting of the Elk River City Council was
called to order at 6:30 p.m. by Mayor Dietz.
I a. Pledge of Allegiance
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
2. Consider 01 /03/2016 Agenda
Moved by Councilmember Westgaard and seconded by Councilmember Olsen
to approve the January 3, 2017, agenda. Motion carried 5-0.
3. Oath of Office
The oath of office was completed for Councilmember Westgaard and Ovall.
4. Consider Consent Agenda
Mr. Portner requested to remove Item 4.3 from the Consent agenda.
Moved by Councilmember Wagner and seconded by Councihnember Olsen to
approve the following consent agenda:
4.1 December 19, 2016, regular minutes.
4.2 Check register, check numbers 9879-9881 and 99709-99855 as outlined in
the staff report.
4.4 Designate the Star News as the city's official newspaper for legal
notices.
4.5 Appoint Mayor John Dietz and Finance Director Lori Ziemer to the Fire
Relief Association Board to January 2, 2018.
4.6 Designate City of Elk River website as the alternative method of
publication for transportation projects.
4.7 Resolution 17-01 approving Maintenance Agreement - 2017 with Wright
County.
4.8 Plat letters stating the city has no concerns at this time with Sherburne
County right of way Plats 78 and 80.
City Council Minutes
January 3, 2016
Page 2
4.9 Resolution 17-02 regarding the environmental assessment worksheet for
ERX Motor Park.
Motion carried 5-0.
4.3 Resolution Designating Depositories for City Funds
It was noted Councilmember Ovall works for one of the banks listed as an official
depository in the resolution and he would abstain from the vote.
Moved by Councilmember Westgaard and seconded by Councilmember Olsen
to adopt Resolution 17-03 designating depositories of city funds. Motion carried
4-0. Counciltnember Ovall abstained.
Open Forum
No one appeared for Open Forum.
6. Presentations, Awards, and Recognitions
There were no presentations.
7. Public Hearings
There were no public hearings.
8.1. Appoint Acting Mayor
Moved by Councilmember Westgaard and seconded by Councilmember
Wagner to appoint Councilmember Olsen as acting mayor. Motion carried 5-0.
8.2 Administrative Hearing Board Appointments
Moved by Councilmember Westgaard and seconded by Councilmember Ovall
to appoint Councilmembers Wagner and Olsen to the Administrative Hearing
Board effective to December 31, 2018. Motion carried 5-0.
8.3 2017 City Council Meeting Schedule
Moved by Councilmember Wagner and seconded by Councihnember Ovall to
approve the 2017 Council meeting schedule. Motion carried 5-0.
8.4 Discuss Council Work Session Agendas
Mr. Portner presented the staff report.
Pa WEB [I 9 Y
NATURE
City Council Minutes
January 3, 20] 6
Page 3
Mayor Dietz stated he would like Council to meet with the School Board before
summer.
Council recessed at 6:40 to go into work session and reconvened at 6:43 p.m.
9.1 Discuss, Schedule Council/Staff Retreat
Council selected February 8 for the Council/staff retreat meeting date. They preferred
meeting facilitation by staff.
9.3 State High School Champion Signage
Mayor Dietz stated he would like to see some type of signage in a visible area of the
city recognizing the high school football team state championship. He stated the
signage could be for other championship titles too.
Councilmember Wagner stated she likes the idea but has concerns of who to
recognize, such as an individual who wins in track.
Mayor Dietz stated it would apply to teams.
Mr. Pormer stated the signage could be included in the wayfinding program. He
further discussed another option of installing a permanent digital reader board that can
be programmed with time limits noting other events could be advertised as well.
Mayor Dietz liked the idea but also wanted a permanent sign for the teams located
with the reader board sign.
Council consensus was to explore the reader board option and a policy for signage
language and allowances.
9.3 Great River Regional Library Branch Agreement
Mr. Pormer presented the staff report.
Mayor Dietz noted some cities had concerns with certain language in the agreement
that made it seem like the library could back out at any time. He stated this language is
aimed toward smaller cities in order to get them to make some building improvements,
which they haven't done in many years. He noted this is not an issue in Elk River
because we have an active library board that plans and budgets for needed repairs.
Mayor Dietz expressed concerns with No. 3 on page 2 of the contract. He stated the
city owns the building so we should be allowed to go into our own building at any time
without it being stated in an agreement.
Mayor Dietz expressed concerns with the criteria for Scale of Services Delivered in the
Addendum on page S. He noted the Elk River Library is in Category 3 and is shocked
PBi E'B�"EB BT
A f U�
City Council Minutes
January 3, 2016
Page 4
that for all the subscribers we have, the library will only provide us up to 40 hours of
programming per year.
Councilmember Wagner stated the scale is not very balanced and felt it should have
more tier levels, noting the large programming differences between Scale 3 and 4.
Mayor Dietz stated he would like to have a discussion about library hours prior to the
next city budget cycle. He stated he would like more consistent hours. He suggested
taking some of the current funds the city gives to the library for programming and
designating them to cover a change in open hours with some additional open hours.
Councilmember Ovall noted this is supposed to be a standard agreement among the
Great River Regional Library and all the cities, but that the library has been allowing
some minor changes by others. He stated he isn't comfortable with Section 9 on page
4 regarding termination of services and having no further claim rights.
Mayor Dietz questioned if the city can approve the agreement without that sentence.
Staff would look into the matter.
Councilmember Olsen further brought up the ongoing concerns regarding
programming and the utilization of volunteers. He stated he would like to see language
in the agreement regarding use of volunteers.
Mayor Dietz stated this is a policy issue versus a contract issue and noted the library
has been very rigid on what they will or won't do.
Mr. Portner suggested the city could do its own programming.
Employee Lunch
Mayor Dietz stated if the Council is interested he would like to provide lunch to
employees. He discussed costs and setting up a date in early February.
10. Adjournment
There being no further business, Mayor Dietz adjourned the meeting of the Elk River
City Council at 7:28 p.m.
Tina Allard, City Clerk
P0BIBEB BI
NATUREI